USD sets record retention rate, sees slight decline in new enrollment

USD saw growth in new graduate student enrollment and a record number of returning students, in addition to a small decline in total new student enrollment this semester.

Total enrollment declined by 4.6%. Part-time students declined by 9.2% while full-time students declined by 1.9%. This means that USD’s core student population was largely unchanged.

This semester, first-time on-campus freshmen declined by 73 students from last year. USD saw growth in enrollment from South Dakota and Nebraska, but declines in Iowa and Minnesota.

USD also set a record retention rate of 80.7%. USD President Sheila Gestring attributed this to the university’s commitment to supporting students.

“I’m incredibly proud to see the hard work of our faculty and staff pay off with our record retention rates,” Gestring said in a press release last Wednesday. “It speaks volumes about the kind of experience students have and can look forward to at USD.”